Fellow RPCV's: I recently returned from Cape Verde as a Volunteer, and saw your message about meeting on Feb. 20th in Baltimore for a social. Unfortunately, I could not find any RPCV's at the appointed place or time. Are you still meeting monthly? Looking forward to your response.

I was researching the National Peace Corps Association website and came across your site. I took the liberty to email you because our work is very connected with high school students from 33 different countries and we hope to make a difference by bringing the world to our American families. May be, you can recommend us to one of your colleagues and their families:

I am a Regional Director for the Program of Academic Exchange (PAX), a non-profit grass-root educational foundation; headquartered in New York. PAX promotes international peace, friendship and understanding through the cross-cultural exchange and education of world citizens. Our program brings high school students from all over the world to come to the United States for an academic year, live with an American host family, study in a public high school and learn the true values of the democratic society. Our students come to the U.S. with big dreams, big hopes to learn the daily life of American people, be part of an American family and learn the American spirit of volunteerism!

Recently, we found out that more and more families decide not to take a foreign student. People have other things on their minds these days, whether it is the war in Iraq, a personal illness, a family or friend in need, or simply the constraints of a job or daily life. We are in the same boat like everybody else. But we try to remind our communities the reasons why the United States is the first country to have so many hosting families annually, why we do foreign exchange and why we work with teenagers. What can be better than the rush of good feelings when we tell a girl in South Korea or Thailand that she has a home in America, how exciting it is to get that first email from a student you will host and sense their excitement, and how good it feels to realize that you have a son or daughter in the other part of the world!

In these troubled times, it brings a lot of comfort to know that life does go on, that we can prevail over the fear and the anxiety by continuing to do what we do and by bringing more people into the PAX family so we can broaden our own support network to promote peace and understanding. All our students have good English skills and curious minds, they have full medical insurance and monthly allowance to cover their lunches at school, clothes/toiletries, calling cards, etc. The host family is asked to provide a bed, a quiet place to study, meals taken at home and a warm, supportive environment. Host families come in all shapes and colors! Families with teens or young children, retired couples or single parents are welcome to apply!

If you know anybody who might be interested in hosing an adorable PAX student, please email or call me back at 1-800-555-6211, ext. 302 for more information! Our excellent MD community coordinators provide the ongoing support to both the students and families and are available to meet with potential hosts. This is, indeed, the most valuable experience we can give to the teens from abroad and truly make a difference, one child at a time!

African Art Auction: Featuring over 100 examples of African Art, masks, sculptures some ceremonial pieces, other older tourist pieces from an Antique dealer's local collection. The auction will be held on: Saturday, April 26, 2003 at 10:00 am.

I am from MD and will be leaving to serve in the Peace Corps in Moldova on June 9. I was hoping you could put me in touch with some RPCVs who have served in this area of the world (Moldova, Romania, Ukraine) and could give me some insight and tell me about their experiences. I will be teaching English to secondary school students.

Hello, my name is Cytha Stottlemyer and I am a member of the FFA in Pennsylvania. This year, I won the state speaking competition with my speech on the Peace Corps and Agriculture. I will be traveling to the national competition on October 28. I would be honored to be able to speak to some of you about your work in the Peace Corps before my trip, however, I live in Gettysburg, PA, so that may be a bit difficult. I would be more than happy, however, to conduct an interview via email or phone. Thank you. ~Cytha Stottlemyer~ scooter0003@hotmail.com

I would like to make the following vacancy announcement available to your members and associates. I hope this is an appropriate place.

The Resident Mediation Program (RMP) of Baltimore County seeks a part time Executive Director to oversee operations, coordinate volunteers, fundraise, and conduct outreach. The position requires a minimum of 2 years mediation experience plus nonprofit management experience. The Executive Director will oversee operations, coordinate volunteers, fundraise, and conduct outreach. Email Cover letter & resume to rmp_board@hotmail.com (please note there is an "underscore" between rmp and board) or fax to 1-270-682-2948. For more information on RMP and a complete job description go to www.marylandmediation.org .

Can you join this group if you did not officially COS? Can you tell me where I can find more information regarding issues of ET/COS - I am not supposed to COS until late fall, but I would like to go to law school. It would be very helpful to learn more about this in addition to what is written in the official peace corps manual. many thanks

Dear Maryland RPCV's. I am an rpcv from Ecuador '00. I am teaching Spanish at a high school outside Baltimore that emphasizes volunteerism. I would love to meet other RPCV's in the area, especially those speaking Spanish. It would be great to share stories, and I am also looking for anyone who would like to speak to high schoolers -in Spanish, or otherwise-about their Peace Corps experience. Thanks.

We sent a message to the email address you left above but it came back as "undeliverable." Pls send an email to hugopickens AT aol DOT com so we can send you information about the Maryland Returned Volunteers.

I am a senior at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts but I live in Baltimore County and previously attended Notre Dame Prep in Towson. I was wondering if a returned volunteer would be willing to discuss their experiences with me. I am particularly interested in working in West Africa (I speak French). I would love to teach English but would also like to hear about interesting secondary projects from anyone. Thank you! -Meredith

Hello, my name is Jessie Ulmer and I am an RPCV from Kazakhstan 2000-2001. I got your email addresses from the PC website. I want to introduce you to a web group I created to help RPCVs through re-entry shock. It is also associated with a support network that we are starting for ET'd Separated and Cos'd volunteers to help them stay in service in thier communities at home or abroad.

There are two things that I am requesting of RPCVs all over the USA: 1) Welcoming RPCVs in your area As an RPCV group you can participate in this project by recieving RPCVs as they come home to your particular area, welcoming them home and supporting them through re-entry. These RPCVs will contact our group (ReConnect) through our information that is being distributed on flyers through Peace Corps Directors in country and through the yahoo group site. Right now we have one country participating, Kazkahstan. I am hopeing to get other RPCVs to participate by having them connect with their service countries directors and passing along this flyer.

2) Regional Contact Volunteers I am also looking for volunteers to be regional contact people. For example, we are looking for western, eastern, northern, southern reps that will seek out or even create RPCV groups to provide support networks for new RPCVs returning home. These people would also be responsible for ensuring that the participant's countries are involved in ReConnect through this flyer distribution (or someother new idea).

3) Post your own experience to help new RPCVs I am also looking for people to post their own re-entry/ reverse culture shock experience on the yahoo group website so that others can read and understand they are not alone in their feelings.

The purpose for ReConnect is to decrease the rate of post service depression and increase the rate of reinvolvement in community service at home or internationaly. It also increases PC visability and completes the third mission on PC which is bringing our experiences home.

Returned PCVs who would like to share their love of the outdoors with Baltimore City youth, are urged to consider the Sierra Club's all-volunteer Baltimore Inner City Outings. Please see www.sierraclub.org/ico/baltimore or call RPCV Bob Burchard [(410) 744-0510] for more information.

Have you lived abroad for at least one year AND returned to the U.S. within the past year? If so, you are eligible to participate in a dissertation study on repatriate distress and cultural readjustment.

My name is Chad Chernet and I am currently serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Yambol, Bulgaria. I found your website through the Peace Corps homepage. I am contacting you because I am in need of help, either financial or otherwise. My town has a large population of mentally and physically disabled children and I have been working with the Director of a local NGO that works with disabled people. I wrote a Peace Corps Partnership Program (PCPP) to help them finance a computer training lab which will teach these young kids computer skills that will help them find employment and will help them to integrate with the local citizens. Currently, they are extremely separated from the normal community and this project will incorporate them into the project as teachers and mentors. I think your organization is wonderful and I hope to join a RPCV when I complete my service next September. Please let me know if you can assist in ANY way. I have exhausted my family and friends for donations, and do not know where else to look. For more information about this project and its’ current status, you can look on the Peace Corps website under Volunteer Projects (Chad Chernet, Bulgaria). Thank you for any help you can provide, and please let me know if I can be of any help to your organization (cultural materials, cultural exchange with students in your city, etc.). Chad Chernet Peace Corps Volunteer 2003-05 Yambol, Bulgaria

I am a second-year volunteer in Bilandao, in the Konni Region of Niger, West Africa. I currently have a project to restore my village's drinking water well posted on the Peace Corps Partnership website. The sooner the project is funded the better, so I'm calling on RPCVs who know first-hand the need for timely assistance in host countries. Every country is astonishing, and Niger no exception - cultures thrive here on the edge of the desert, a testament to the strength of human spirit. My village, Bilandao, would reap great benefits, immediate and long-term, from a dependable source of clean drinking water. Public health and economic, environmental and social development capacity currently suffer from the lack of a dependable supply of clean water. If you feel you can help by contributing, please do so by going to Peace Corp's general website, clicking "donate now," "Africa," "Niger," then scrolling to Christopher Stillion's Bilandao Well Rehabilitation and Upgrade Project. In addition I offer my services to anybody looking for a correspondant, researcher, or reporter in the Sahelien region of West Africa. I currently correspond with a World Wise School in Maryland, have teaching experience, and speak French and Hausa. Thank you, from myself and the entire village of Bilandao God Bless You

Hi I'm currently serving in Crisis Corp Zambia and it looks like I will be moving to Baltimore when I finish in January. Before I came over New Orleans was home but since Katrina I have been trying to figure out what to do. I was born in Baltimore but havent spent a lot of time there so I figure its time to hang there for a bit. I have a MPH and would love to do some non profit work that might pay the rent in the city, if any one knows of anything please pass it on. Also if anyone knows of someone who might need a roommate come January...I'm available. Thanks and hope to see you all in January when I get back. Bill Price wmprice2000@yahoo.com

I am trying to get in touch with Hugh Pickens who I trained with in Brockport. Not hearing back from him on the emails I have from a couple of years ago. Do you have a more recent one, or can you nhave him email me as we are trying to have a reunion this summer.

I am an RPCV-Dominican Republic 2000-2002. I am interested in getting Peace Corps logo vanity plates. All we need to do is have a group of at least 25 people who would be interested in getting this licence plate. The cost is $25.00. A vanity plate is a way to show our pride in serving our country for international peace, as well as promoting the Peace Corps in Maryland.

3 HOMESTAY 'Host Families' NEEDED FOR MY STUDENTS FROM CHINA - (Up to) 3 weeks: July 16 - August 7 'OR' Part of that period. Being a host family is an excellent cultural enrichment/volunteer opportunity, to serve as "Ambassadors" to help give these young guests a positive impression of Americans! This summer '06 I've committed to www.PeopleLink.org, a non-profit organization whose mission is to bridge cultural gaps. The program is a relaxed and friendly 3-week cultural & language immersion. I'll be a Teacher Guide along with a recent PCV (in Niger), Jennryn from Boston, for 10 students from China (ages 11 - 17) who attend boarding school. I very much need 3 more families to host 1 or 2 of my students (each). CONTACT: Yasmin at 240-472-0777... Thanks!

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